Canberra deceives the lazy tourist by presenting a sleepy facade, blanketed by magnificent Australian bush. Orderly and unapologetically suburban, it was once known as the incubator for a uniform public service. But those days are long gone. The city is equally known for its private sector and strong university influence, and locals know that peeling back the cover is a simple affair. Beneath the hushed exterior thrives a dynamic community making the most of their lakeside parks, hills, culture, artistic endeavours and culinary adventures. 

This city is a celebration of what Australians hold dear – their origins, sacrifices, treasures and values. Iconic cultural landmarks such as the National Museum, War Memorial and Parliament House are symbolic and accessible, informative and free, and, with few exceptions, replete with cafe and souvenir shop. Canberra is the hub of the ACT and of a much greater region of southern NSW, where bushwalking, cycling, swimming and a host of other activities are the norm. With its 320,000 inhabitants, Canberra is one of the world's few planned cities, a city in a park with golden autumn leaves and glorious spring blooms. Surrounded by native bush land, Canberra is perfect for getting back to nature. Following the Federation in 1901 Canberra was chosen as a site of the national capital. The initial design for Canberra was the work of Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin with wide, tree-lined avenues and spacious open parklands. Many national institutions and monuments are located close to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, the focal point of the city. The city enjoys four distinct seasons and visitors quickly discover what a 'hidden gem' the capital is. It is close to mountains and native bush land and is often referred to as 'the bush capital'. Originally a public service town, the national capital is now also a major university and research centre with an emphasis on high technology industries. Over half the area of the ACT is a national park with a well-developed and maintained network of walking trails through mountain ranges and sub-alpine forest. A spectacular way to see the city is to take a hot air balloon ride high over Lake Burley Griffin. The surrounding region offers more than 30 wineries, historic townships, beautiful coastlines and the famous Snowy Mountains. 
Our tour of Parliament was truly exceptional thanks to the enthusiasm of our guide, who amusingly pointed out that the Australian coat of arms flanked by a kangaroo and an emu (interestingly and symbolically two animals that can only move forward) is the only coat of arms in the world that can be barbequed!
 
Our final day was spent engaged in the vast exhibits of the War Memorial, poignantly commerating Australia's role in twentieth century conflicts. As a historian it was interesting to escape the classic European / American interpretation of events. The portrayal of the disastrous Gallipoli campaign of 1915 from which ANZAC Day (25 April) takes its significance was particularly powerful.
 
We could have spent days there, but unfortunately time was pressing on and I still needed to find my roadside pie...(for the record, it was on the highway three hours north of Melbourne - the meat was alarmingly like dog food and the pastry far from crumbly...wasn't quite worth the 8,000 km wait!)